I may be unpopular for saying this….
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But here goes:
You should consider getting accredited by the Better Business Bureau. It can help your local visibility (if you’re in the US or Canada).
Mind you, I am no fanboy. There are a few valid reasons to skip the BBB:
- Money (although it’s only a few hundred bucks a year).
- Time (you do have to apply).
- Maybe you think the BBB just peddles junk.
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But I can think of 8 reasons your local rankings and reputation can benefit from BBB-accreditation:
1. You get a great link. (Yes, it’s a “follow” link.)
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2. It’s one of a few straightforward ways (that I can think of) to get good links to subpages on your site – pages other than your homepage. That’s especially useful if you’re multi-location business and use “location” pages as the landing page for your Google Places pages. In my experience, it’s better to use the homepage as your landing page, but if you can get some good links to those “location” pages they may fare just as well in the rankings.
3. Some segment of the population does care what the BBB says about local businesses.
4. Ranks well for brand-name searches.
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5. Even ranks well some broad searches. Great for barnacle SEO.
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6. Customers can write reviews on your BBB page. I encourage you to encourage them.
7. It’s a nice “trust symbol” to put on your site.
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8. It’s a good citation.
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I may not have made you like the BBB more, but it’s a practical way to help your local visibility a little. Close your eyes and think of England.
What if you decide to skip it? No big deal. Just make sure you get other good links.
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What’s been your experience with the BBB?
Know of any alternatives that help in some of the practical ways I described?
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